Almost everyone remembers their first car. Most likely it was used, either a hand-me-down from your parents or something cheap that either you or they could afford. As long as it took you from point A to point B, it was all you needed. While your first car may generate fond memories, it was most likely not your ideal car. Many of us would prefer to ride around town in a luxury vehicle, like a Mercedes or a BMW. However, the cost of luxury isn’t just in the sticker price; owning a luxury vehicle can have long lasting effects on your wallet that make buying one a long term investment.

The long and short of it is that high-end vehicles require high-end parts. When you drive around in a Benz or a Bentley, you can’t just put any old part inside of them when one breaks down. Most cars run best with genuine parts from the manufacturer instead of aftermarket pieces. As such, these parts can run quite higher than your run of the mill Toyota or Ford replacements. Take Mercedes, for example, to change the shocks in one of these cars can cost at least $1,200 while in a Ford it will cost half as much. Even with an aftermarket piece, it can still run over a grand easily.

The primary reason for this is ultimately supply and demand. Parts for a Toyota or Honda are much cheaper because there are simply more of them on the road, and thus the parts are mass produced on a greater scale. When you get into the truly luxurious vehicles, such as Porsche or Ferrari, the parts become as costly as a used car in some cases, mostly because each piece is custom made. Additionally, there are only so many mechanics or dealerships that service these vehicles, so your options for getting repairs and maintenance is limited, thus driving the cost even further.

​In a world where everyone drives a luxury car, maintenance costs would be significantly lower. Of course though, if everyone drove a luxury vehicle, then what would be so luxurious about it? Therein lies the rub, and ultimately what drives the cost of ownership of these cars. The bottom line is, If you want the prestige of owning a high-end car, then you need to pay for it. Perhaps it would just be easier if you stuck with your first car?